Early Winter Break In Delhi Schools From November 9-18 Due To Air Pollution

Delhi schools will close for a winter break from November 9 to 18 - in view of the toxic smog that has blanketed the city for six straight days - the city's Directorate of Education said Wednesday, noting "no respite from adverse weather conditions" has been predicted over the next few days.

The decision to bring forward the vacation - normally in December-January - was made to protect children's health. The Nov 9-18 holiday will be adjusted against the traditional Dec-Jan break.

The Delhi government has also halted implementation of its flagship odd-even scheme - an attempt to contain pollution from vehicular traffic based on restricting traffic based on registration numbers - after its efficacy was questioned by the Supreme Court; the court called the scheme "optics".

"The decision to implement the odd-even scheme will be made only after the Supreme Court reviews its effectiveness and issues an order," Delhi's Environment Minister, Gopal Rai, said.

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Finally - as the ruling Aam Aadmi Party scrambles to contain a crisis that has led to hazardous and life-threatening air quality - the government said a smog tower in the central shopping district of Connaught Place had been re-started; this too was after a Supreme Court intervention.

"I want to thank Supreme Court for giving instruction to restart the smog tower, which was shut by DPCC (Delhi Pollution Control Committee) Chairman," the minister said.

These decisions taken at a meeting chaired by Mr Rai and attended by Education Minister Atishi, Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot and senior Delhi government officials. Mr Rai later took a swipe at the centre and governments of neighbouring states for "sitting silently" during this crisis.

Among states seen as being responsible for the air quality crisis in Delhi is Punjab, where too the Aam Aadmi Party is in power. On Tuesday the state reported over 1,500 stubble-burning incidents, or farm fires. That was, though, much less than 2,487 reported in the same period last year.

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On Monday, Mr Rai had announced that all Delhi schools had been directed to suspend physical classes, except for those in Class 10 and 12, till Friday due to alarming air pollution levels.

The Delhi government is scrambling to contain the poisonous air hanging over residents' heads, but with little success. The AQI this morning was 421 - a sharp spike from 395 at 4 pm Tuesday.

In the national capital region, Noida clocked in at 409 and Gurugram at 370.

READ | Delhi Remains Covered In Toxic Smog, Air Quality Severe For 6th Day

Levels of PM2.5 - capable of penetrating deep into the respiratory system and triggering health problems - still exceed the government's limit of 60 micrograms per cubic metre by eight times.

This is 30-40 times the limit prescribed by the World Health Organization.

As part of anti-pollution measures, the fourth stage of a Graded Response Action Plan have been invoked, and (among other steps) diesel trucks and construction activities have been banned.

The Supreme Court - hearing a clutch of petitions on the air quality crisis in Delhi - has demanded the concerned states work together to resolve the problem, with the focus (again) on farm fires.

"We want it (stubble burning leading to farm fires) stopped. We don't know how you do it, it's your job. But it must be stopped. Something has to be done immediately," the court said.

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A cocktail of factors, including vehicular emissions and stubble burning, are being held responsible for the air pollution in Delhi, where authorities have raised the pollution alert to the highest level.

With input from agencies

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